Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane stunned Arsenal icon Thierry Henry when he dropped his ‘hot take’ on one highly rated Premier League Hall of Famer.
Roy Keane is regarded as one of the best Premier League midfielders of all time and the Manchester United legend is one of the best captains in the history of football.
The 53-year-old Irishman enjoyed an illustrious playing spell at Old Trafford and Keane hoovered up the major silverware during his time at the Premier League club.
Keane lifted seven Premier League titles, a Champions League trophy and four FA Cups under legendary former United and Aberdeen manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
The Sky Sports pundit famously captained Sir Alex Ferguson’s men to their iconic treble win in the 1998-99 campaign and played a key role for United in the run.
Keane was all too familiar with the heated rivalry between United and Arsenal during the 1990s and 2000s and crossed paths with Thierry Henry in his prolific career.
Man Utd legend Roy Keane’s remarks on former Arsenal star Ashley Cole sparked a response from Premier League icon Thierry Henry
Sir Alex Ferguson shared a fierce rivalry with iconic ex-Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger during the height of United and Arsenal’s battles over the Premier League title.
Roy Keane has spoken openly about his experiences in the famous United vs Arsenal rivalry, including his battles with Gunners legend Patrick Vieira on the pitch.
Thierry Henry, who is one of the best Premier League players of all time, shared the pitch with Ashley Cole during his stunning time at Arsenal under Arsene Wenger.
Ashley Cole was a key part of the ‘Invincibles’ squad at the Gunners and the Chelsea legend lifted two Premier Leagues and three FA Cups with the north London club.
The 44-year-old is recognised as one of the best left-backs in Premier League history and Cole was inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame in 2024.
Keane hailed the ex-Arsenal defender as a “brilliant player,” but the United legend admitted that Cole’s name “doesn’t spring” to mind as one of the best left-backs.
Speaking on The Overlap’s Stick to Football show, Keane said: “I think he [Ashley Cole] was a brilliant player but when you talk about great left-backs, he doesn’t spring to my mind.”
Arsenal icon Thierry Henry reacted to Roy Keane’s assessment of Chelsea and Premier League legend Ashley Cole
Thierry Henry featured on the latest episode of the Stick to Football podcast and the ex-Arsenal and Barcelona striker was stunned by Keane’s admission over Ashley Cole.
Responding to former United midfielder Keane, Henry said: “But why not? Why is he not even in the discussion at [the] time? Why don’t you hear his name?”
Henry admitted that he was baffled that Cole isn’t talked about more in England and the 47-year-old said that his former teammate doesn’t receive enough “respect.”
“I don’t understand why in this country, he doesn’t get respect. Ashley Cole was outstanding,” he explained.
“Firstly, in 2000, Ashley went to Crystal Palace on loan, and he saved them from relegation, playing as a winger.
“When you have a left-back that can dribble past their winger, he was the one who created space for the rest of the team.
“He opened everything. I would be dumb not to find a situation where I would be alone because the midfielder had to shuffle across, Robert [Pires] was moving, I am going in behind. He started everything.
“Ashley Cole for me, there is a battle for him not to be the best left back I have ever seen. Going forward, defending, the desire, what he won, and where he won it.”
Henry captured two Premier Leagues and three FA Cups during his first playing spell with Arsenal before he left the Gunners and signed for Barcelona in 2007.
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